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A 28–4 council vote advances the US drugmaker’s proposed $3bn plant, though a permit decision and further approvals are still needed.
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Councillors in Katwijk, in the Netherlands, voted 28–4 on Thursday evening to support Eli Lilly’s building permit application. The vote backs the project, but the municipality still has to decide on the permit. [1]
The US drugmaker wants to produce diabetes and weight-loss pills at a site beside the Valkenburgse Meer. Its proposed factory would cover about 20 hectares of former greenhouse land, could reach 40 metres in height and is expected to employ around 500 people. The national and provincial governments have pledged €72m to improve access to the area if the project goes ahead. [1]
Residents asked for an advisory referendum on the building permit, but the council rejected the request, citing the need for a municipal decision this week. Local concerns include water and energy use, safety, views and recreation around the lake. Most councillors judged the expected economic benefits to outweigh those concerns. [1]
Eli Lilly will also need permits to manufacture medicines and discharge wastewater. With no grid capacity available for the site in the coming years, the factory is expected initially to generate electricity using gas turbines. [1]
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